New Fantasyland immerses Disney World visitors into fairy-tale story of 'Beauty and the Beast' (with video)

By Janet Podolak

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Almost in the shadow of Cinderella's Castle, slightly to the right of the carousel, lies the New Fantasyland. Those with long memories of Disney World's Magic Kingdom may recall that the submarine adventure "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" once was somewhere around here.

That popular ride reprise of the Jules Verne adventure closed in 1994, but its infrastructure was kept and was used to create "Under the Sea -- Journey of the Little Mermaid," one of the highlights of the New Fantasyland. You can almost smell the sea as you look at what remains of a ship and pass the ramparts of Prince Eric's Castle to step into Ariel's seaside grotto. As you join the line to visit everyone's favorite mermaid in her home under the sea, look carefully on the walls, where animated crabs dance as you wait in line. You'll see an icon left from the time when folks lined up here to board the submarine for "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." Like the Hidden Mickeys, which are found throughout all the parks and lodgings, we'll not spoil the fun by telling you what it is.

This time, however, you board a clamshell for your undersea journey, which, thanks to the magic of Disney's Imagineers, seems quite realistic, despite the fact that you soon are joined by characters from "The Little Mermaid' movie. The musical backdrop of songs from the film encourages even the youngest guests to sing along.

The largest expansion in the 41-year history of the Magic Kingdom, New Fantasyland has dining, shopping, character interactions and more amid its fairy tale-style waterfalls, grottoes, arched bridges, forest and a circus big top. It doubles in size the previous version of Fantasyland, and now you can fly with Dumbo the Flying Elephant and join the Great Goofini on the Barnstormer, a roller coaster "flight."

The "Beauty and the Beast" story is retold in several ways in the New Fantasyland, so reread the story to your children or grandchildren before you go. Knowing Belle, the Beast and Maurice's cottage will increase the enjoyment of Disney World's interpretation of this classic French fairy tale.

The Be Our Guest Restaurant, in the Beast's Castle, puts the "new" into the New Fantasyland with the first-ever serving of wine in a Magic Kingdom restaurant. The grand ballroom, with its crystal chandeliers, is the setting for this dining venue, where fine French wines are served to accent French-inspired meals at lunch and dinner. French onion soup and turkey meatloaf (shaped like Mickey Mouse) and seared mahi mahi are found on the cafeteria-style lunch menu, but strip steak, ratatouille and cream puffs are on the dinner menu. Those needed servings of veggies are a part of everything, including the made-from-scratch ketchup, which includes carrots.

As you settle in to the ballroom, you'll note snow is falling outside and servers are attired in European fashions from the 1400s. A glass bell jar holds the storied rose with its petals falling to show that time is running out for the Beast. The rose theme also is carried out with a mechanical rose given to each luncheon customer as his or her order is taken. As part of the magic, it helps servers to track the customer and deliver the meal that's been ordered.

The new attraction Enchanted Tales with Belle gives visitors keen insight into the interactive direction in which Disney is going with many of its attractions, some of which mimic the moves of popular computer games.

That's not the case with Enchanted Tales, which begins at Maurice's cottage where guests are able to walk through a magic mirror in Maurice's workshop that the Beast left Belle's father so he could visit his daughter at any time. The mirror is transformed into castle doors, and guests soon meet Madame Wardrobe. She casts children in roles they'll play to perform a play for Belle, with help from Lumiere, an amazing Audioanimatronic candlestick you won't soon forget. The children are given props that help activate imaginations to become part of the story.

Nearby is Belle's Village, anchored by a bronze statue of Gaston. At Gaston's Taverne, stop for a goblet of LeFou's Brew, frozen apple juice with a hint of toasted marshmallow and topped with mango foam.

The New Fantasyland shows a somewhat more masculine side to Magic Kingdom, with the Beast's Castle and Gaston. That will continue in 2014 with the opening of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, a family-style coaster with vehicles that swing back and forth.

Meanwhile, the fascination of little girls with princesses continues unabated, and the Magic Kingdom's new Princess Fairytale Hall opens later this year. Guests, probably mostly little girls, will enjoy audiences with their favorites -- Aurora, Cinderella, Tiana and Rapunzel.

We noted dozens of little girls costumed and made up as princesses, complete with glittery hairdos, makeup and nails. They'd come from one of two Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique locations -- in the back of Cinderella's Castle and also at Downtown Disney -- where makeovers for girls 3 through 12 are done. The makeovers, priced from $55 to $90, are so popular that they're already being booked into June.

Travelers' checks

It's important to carefully plan a Disney World vacation because there's so much to do, and even if you stayed a week you wouldn't have time to do it all. We stayed at Disney's new Animation Resort, where suites, complete with a small kitchen, are cleverly designed to comfortably accommodate six guests. You'll find everything you need to know as Disney's fine website www.disneyparks.com.

The 40-square-mile entertainment and recreation destination includes four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom), two water adventure parks, 34 resort hotels, 81 holes of golf, two full-service spas and Downtown Disney. Those with young children likely will gravitate toward the Magic Kingdom, where I spent three days in December for the New Fantasyland grand opening. You'll definitely want to dine at Be My Guest in the Beast's Castle, although reservations for dinner often are filled and thus should be made as soon as you know your travel dates. It's worth a try at 407-WDW-DINE or www.disneyworld.com/dine.

Those wishing to reserve a makeover for their own little princess at Bibbidy Bobbidi Boutique will find them just as popular. Call for information and reservations at 407-939-7895.

Follow my blog at bit.ly/foodtravelblog to get updates on the Animation Resort and the new Splitsville Luxury Lanes, a new two-level collection of bowling lanes and billiards that has opened at Downtown Disney.